Providence was one of the first cities in the country to industrialize and became noted for its jewelry and silverware industry. Today, the city of Providence is home to eight hospitals and seven institutions of higher learning which have shifted the city's economy into service industries, though it still retains significant manufacturing activity. The city was once nicknamed the "Beehive of Industry"; it began rebranding itself as the "Creative Capital" in 2009 to emphasize its educational resources and arts community.[6]

The area that is now Providence was first settled in June 1636 by Roger Williams and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies of the United States. Williams and his company felt compelled to withdraw from Massachusetts Bay Colony. Providence quickly became a refuge for persecuted religious dissenters, as Williams himself had been exiled from Massachusetts.[7]

Providence residents were among the first Patriots to spill blood in the leadup to the American Revolution during the Gaspée Affair of 1772.[7] Rhode Island was the first of the thirteen colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown on May 4, 1776.[8] It was also the last of the thirteen colonies to ratify the United States Constitution on May 29, 1790, once assurances were made that a Bill of Rights would become part of the Constitution.[9]

Following the war, Providence was the country's ninth-largest city[a][7] with 7,614 people. The economy shifted from maritime endeavors to manufacturing, in particular machinery, tools, silverware, jewelry, and textiles. By the start of the 20th century, Providence boasted some of the largest manufacturing plants in the country, including Brown & Sharpe, Nicholson File, and Gorham Silverware.

Providence residents ratified a city charter in 1831 as the population passed 17,000.[7] From its incorporation as a city in 1832 until 1878, the seat of city government was located in the Market House,[11] located in Market Square, which was the geographic and social center of the city. The city offices quickly outgrew this building, and the City Council resolved to create a permanent municipal building in 1845.[11] The city offices moved into the City Hall in 1878.

During the Civil War, local politics split over slavery as many had ties to Southern cotton. Despite ambivalence concerning the war, the number of military volunteers routinely exceeded quota, and the city's manufacturing proved invaluable to the Union.

People gathering in Waterplace Park, opened in 1994, just before a WaterFire event. On the left can be seen the Waterplace condominiums, constructed in 2008. The entire area had been covered in railroad tracks, and the river was covered with paved bridges until the late 1980s.

From 1975 until 1982, $606 million of local and national Community Development funds were invested throughout the city. In the 1990s, the city pushed for revitalization, ultimately resulting in uncovering the rivers (which had been covered by paved bridges), relocating a large section of railroad underground, creation of Waterplace Park and river walks along the river's banks, and construction of the Fleet Skating Rink (now the Bank of America Skating Rink) downtown and the 1.4 million ft² Providence Place Mall.[7]

Despite new investment, poverty remains an entrenched problem as it does in most post-industrial New England cities. Approximately 27.9 percent of the city population is living below the poverty line.[12] Recent increases in real estate values further exacerbate problems for those at marginal income levels, as Providence had the highest rise in median housing price of any city in the United States from 2004 to 2005.[13]

The city is recovering from the real-estate slump, with a proposed residential skyscraper project called Hope Point Towers announced in mid-November, 2016.

The Providence city limits enclose a small geographical region with a total area of 20.5 square miles (53 km2); 18.5 square miles (48 km2) of it is land and the remaining 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2) is water (roughly 10%). Providence is located at the head of Narragansett Bay, with the Providence River running into the bay through the center of the city,[14] formed by the confluence of the Moshassuck and Woonasquatucket Rivers. The Waterplace Park amphitheater and riverwalks line the river's banks through downtown.

Providence is one of many cities claimed to be founded on seven hills like Rome. The more prominent hills are: Constitution Hill (near downtown), College Hill (east of the Providence River), and Federal Hill (west of downtown and containing New England's largest Italian district outside of Massachusetts). The other four are: Tockwotten Hill at Fox Point, Smith Hill (where the State House is located), Christian Hill at Hoyle Square (junction of Cranston and Westminster Streets), and Weybosset Hill at the lower end of Weybosset Street, which was leveled in the early 1880s.[15]

The Jewelry District describes the area enclosed by I-95, the old I-195, and the Providence River. The city has made efforts to rename this area the Knowledge District to reflect the area's newly developing life sciences and technology-based economy.[18][19]

Downtown Providence has numerous 19th-century mercantile buildings in the Federal and Victorian architectural styles, as well as several post-modern and modernist buildings located throughout the area. In particular, a fairly clear spatial separation appears between the areas of pre-1980s development and post-1980s development. West Exchange Street and Exchange Terrace serve as rough boundaries between the two.

The majority of the cityscape comprises abandoned and revitalized industrial mills, double- and triple-decker housing (though row houses are rare, found so commonly in other Northeast cities),[30] a small number of high-rise buildings (predominantly for housing the elderly), and single family homes. Interstate 95 serves as a physical barrier between the city's commercial core and neighborhoods such as Federal Hill and the West End.

Providence has a humid continental or humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa or Dfa) depending on the January isotherm used, with warm summers, cold winters, and high humidity year-round. The USDA places the city in Hardiness zone 6b, with the suburbs falling in zones 6a – 7b.[31] The influence of the Atlantic Ocean keeps Providence, and the rest of the state of Rhode Island,[32] warmer than many inland locales in New England.[33][34] January is the coldest month with a daily mean of 29.2 °F (−1.6 °C), and low temperatures dropping to 10 °F (−12 °C) or lower an average of 11 days per winter,[35] while July is the warmest month with a daily mean of 73.5 °F (23.1 °C), and highs rising to 90 °F (32 °C) or higher an average of 10 days per summer.[35] Extremes range from −17 °F (−27 °C) on February 9, 1934 to 104 °F (40 °C) on August 2, 1975;[36] the record cold daily maximum is 1 °F (−17 °C) on February 5, 1918, while the record warm daily minimum is 80 °F (27 °C) on June 6, 1925.[35] Temperature readings of 0 °F (−18 °C) or lower are uncommon in Providence, and generally occur once every several years. The year which had the most days with a temperature reading of zero degrees or lower was 2015 with eight days total; one day in January and seven days in February.[35] Conversely, temperature readings of 100 °F (38 °C) or higher are even rarer, and the year with the most days in this category was 1944 with three days, all of which were in August.[35]

As with the rest of the northeastern seaboard, Providence receives ample precipitation year-round. Monthly precipitation ranges from a high of 4.43 inches (112.5 mm) in March to a low of 3.17 inches (80.5 mm) in July.[36] In general, precipitation levels are slightly lesser in the summer months than the winter months, when powerful storms known as Nor'easters can cause significant snowfall and blizzard conditions. Although hurricanes are not frequent in coastal New England, Providence's location at the head of Narragansett Bay makes it vulnerable to them.

Providence has a racially and ethnically diverse population. In 2010, White Americans formed 49.8% of the population, including a sizable White Hispanic community. Non-Hispanic whites, historically predominant in the city, were 37.6% of the total population,[43] down from 89.5% in 1970.[44] Providence has had a substantial Italian population since the start of the 20th century, with 14% (a plurality[d]) of the population claiming Italian ancestry.[47] Italian influence manifests itself in Providence's Little Italy in Federal Hill.[48] Irish immigrants have also had considerable influence on the city's history, with 8% of residents claiming Irish heritage.[49] The city also has a sizeable, active and important Jewish community, estimated at 10,500 in 2012 or roughly 5% of the city's population.[50]

African Americans constitute 16%[43] of the city's population, with their greatest concentrations found in Mount Hope and Upper and Lower South Providence neighborhoods.[53][54]Asians are 6% of Providence's population and have enclaves scattered throughout the city. The largest Asian groups are Cambodians (1.7%), Chinese (1.1%), Asian Indians (0.7%), Laotians (0.6%), and Koreans (0.6%).[54] Another 6% of the city has multiracial ancestry. Native Americans and Pacific Islanders make up the remaining 1.3%. With Liberians comprising 0.4% of the population,[47] the city is home to one of the largest Liberian immigrant populations in the country.[55]

Providence, like some nearby Massachusetts communities, has a considerable community of immigrants from various Portuguese-speaking countries (especially Portugal, Brazil, and Cape Verde), living mostly in the areas of Washington Park and Fox Point.[56][57][58] Portuguese is the city's third-largest European ethnicity, (after Italian and Irish) at 4% of the population; Cape Verdeans comprise 2%.[47]

The per capita income, as of the 2000 census, was $15,525, which is well below both the state average of $29,113,[60] and the national average of $21,587.[61] The median income for a household was $26,867, and the median income for a family in Providence was $32,058, according to the 2000 census. The city has one of the highest rates of poverty in the nation with 29.1% of the population and 23.9% of families living below the poverty line in 2000, the largest concentrations being found in the city's Olneyville, and Upper and Lower South Providence areas.[12][62] Poverty has affected children at a disproportionately higher rate, with 40.1% of those under the age of 18 living below the poverty line, concentrated in particular west of downtown in the neighborhoods of Hartford, Federal Hill, and Olneyville.[62]

Compared to the national average, Providence has an average rate of violent crime and higher rate[63] of property crime per 100,000 inhabitants.[64] In 2010, there were 15 murders, down from 2009's 24.[65] In 2010, Providence fared better regarding violent crime than most of its peer cities. Springfield, Massachusetts has approximately 20,000 fewer residents than Providence but reported 15 murders in 2009—i.e., the same number of homicides as Providence, but a slightly higher rate per capita.[66]New Haven, Connecticut and Hartford, Connecticut have approximately 50,000 fewer people than Providence, but they reported 24 and 26 murders in 2010 respectively, significantly higher murder rates per capita than Providence.[67][68] The police chief asserted that Providence's violence was not stranger-to-stranger, but relationship driven.[69] The pattern of violent crime was highly specific by neighborhood, with the vast majority of the murders taking place in the poorer sections of Providence, such as Olneyville, Elmwood, South Providence, and the West End.[70]

Around 1830, Providence had manufacturing industries in metals, machinery, textiles, jewelry, and silverware. Manufacturing has declined since, but the city is still one of the largest centers for jewelry and silverware design and manufacturing. Services also make up a large portion of the city's economy, in particular education, healthcare, and finance. Providence also is the site of a sectional center facility (SCF), a regional hub for the U.S. Postal Service.[71] It is the capital of Rhode Island, so the city's economy additionally consists of government services.

Over one third of Providence's economy is based in trade, transportation, utilities, and educational and health services.[72]

Prominent companies headquartered in Providence include Fortune 500 Textron and United Natural Foods, Fortune 1000 Nortek Incorporated, privately held engineering firm Gilbane, and GTECH Corporation, who recently moved their world headquarters to downtown Providence.[73]Citizens Bank is also headquartered in Providence and is the 15th largest bank in the country.[74][75]Fleet Bank is another company whose origins were in the city, and it was once Rhode Island's largest bank. It moved its headquarters to Boston, Massachusetts after acquiring Shawmut Bank in 1995. Fleet merged with BankBoston to become New England's largest commercial bank, before it was acquired by Bank of America.

The city is home to the Rhode Island Convention Center, which opened in December 1993.[76] Along with a hotel, the convention center is connected to the Providence Place Mall, a major retail center, through a skywalk.[76] The Port of Providence, the second-largest deepwater seaport in New England,[77] handles cargo such as cement, chemicals, heavy machinery, petroleum, and scrap metal.[78] Providence is also home to some of toy manufacturer Hasbro's business operations, with headquarters remaining in Pawtucket.

David N. Cicilline finished his term as mayor in 2010, eight years after taking office as the first openly gay mayor of an American state capital.[80] Providence was the largest American city to have an openly gay mayor,[80] until Sam Adams took office in Portland, Oregon, on January 1, 2009.

In addition, the Community College of Rhode Island (Downcity and Liston campuses), Roger Williams University (Providence campus) and University of Rhode Island (Providence campus) have satellite campuses in the city. Between these schools the number of postsecondary students is approximately 44,000.[83] Compounded by Brown University's being the second-largest employer,[77] higher education exerts a considerable presence in the city's politics and economy.

The Providence Public School District serves about 30,000 students from pre-Kindergarten to grade 12. The district has 25 elementary schools, nine middle schools, and thirteen high schools. The Providence Public School District features magnet schools at the middle and high school level, Nathanael Greene and Classical respectively. The overall graduation rate as of 2007[update] is 70.1%,[87] which is close to the statewide rate of 71% and the national average of 70%.[88] Rhode Island also operates two public schools in Providence.

Much of Providence culture is synonymous with Rhode Island culture. Like the state, the city has a non-rhotic accent that can be heard on local media. Providence also shares Rhode Island's affinity for coffee, as the former has the most coffee/doughnut shops per capita of any city in the country.[89] Providence, like many other towns,[90] is also reputed to have the highest number of restaurants per capita,[91] many of which founded and/or staffed by its own Johnson & Wales University graduates.[92]

Providence has several ethnic neighborhoods, notably Federal Hill and the North End (Italian),[93]Fox Point (Portuguese),[94]West End (mainly Central American and Asians),[95] and Smith Hill (Irish with miscellaneous enclaves of other groups).[96] There are also many dedicated community organizations and arts associations located in the city.[97]

The city gained the reputation as one of the most active and growing gay communities in the Northeast;[98][99] the rate of reported gay and lesbian relationships is 75% higher than the national average[100] and Providence has been named among the "Best Lesbian Places to Live".[99] The former mayor, David Cicilline, won his election running as an openly gay man, making him the first openly gay mayor of a U.S. state capital.[80] Former Mayor Cianci instituted the position of Mayor's Liaison to the Gay and Lesbian community in the 1990s.[99] Providence is home to the largest gay bathhouse in New England.[101]

Fireworks at the State House during the 2006 July 4 celebration

During the summer months, the city regularly hosts WaterFire, an environmental art installation that consists of about 100 bonfires that blaze just above the surface of the three rivers that pass through the middle of downtown Providence.[102] There are multiple Waterfire events that are accompanied by various pieces of classical and world music. The public art displays, most notably sculptures, change on a regular basis.

The Bank of America Skating Center, formerly the Fleet Skating Center, is located near Kennedy Plaza in the downtown district, connected by pedestrian tunnel to Waterplace Park, a cobblestone and concrete park below street traffic that abuts Providence's three rivers.[115][116]

The southern part of the city is home to the famous roadside attraction Nibbles Woodaway (also known as the "Big Blue Bug"), the world's largest termite,[117] as well as the aforementioned Roger Williams Park, which contains a zoo, a botanical center, and the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium.[118]

The city has two rugby teams, the Rugby Union team Providence Rugby Football Club, and the Semi-Professional Rugby League team The Rhode Island Rebellion, which play at Classical High School. In 2013 the Rebellion finished the USA Rugby League (USARL) regular season in third place. Their playoff run took them to the USARL Semi-Finals, the first time the Rebellion made the playoffs in its short three-year history.

Providence has also hosted the alternative sports event Gravity Games from 1999 to 2001, and was also the first host of ESPN's X Games, known in its first edition as the Extreme Games, in 1995. Providence has its own roller derby league. Formed in 2004, it currently has four teams: the Providence Mob Squad, the Sakonnet River Roller Rats, the Old Money Honeys, and the Rhode Island Riveters. Providence is also home to the headquarters of the American Athletic Conference (The American).[124]

The Rhode Island Blood Center has its main headquarters in Providence. Since 1979, the Rhode Island Blood Center has been the sole organization in charge of blood collection and testing and distribution of blood products to 11 hospitals in Rhode Island.

I-95 runs from north to south through Providence while I-195 connects the city to eastern Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, including New Bedford, Massachusetts, and Cape Cod. I-295 encircles Providence while RI 146 provides a direct connection with Worcester, Massachusetts. The city commissioned and began a long-term project, the Iway, to move I-195 in 2007 not only for safety reasons, but also to free up land and to reunify the Jewelry District with Downcity Providence, which had been split from one another by the highway.[132] The project was estimated to cost $610 million.

Kennedy Plaza, in downtown Providence, serves as a transportation hub for local public transit as well as a departure point for Peter Pan[133] and Greyhound[134] bus lines. Public transit is managed by Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA).[135] Through RIPTA alone Kennedy Plaza serves over 71,000 people a day.[136] The majority of the area covered by RIPTA is served by traditional buses. Of particular note is the East Side Trolley Tunnel running under College Hill, the use of which is reserved for RIPTA buses. RIPTA also operates the Providence LINK, a system of tourist trolleys in downtown Providence. From 2000 to 2008, RIPTA operated a seasonal ferry to Newport between May and October. In 2016 SeaStreak began operating the Providence - Newport ferry route.[137] RIPTA began a rapid bus service called the R Line in June 2014.

Electricity and natural gas are provided by National Grid.[138] Providence Water is responsible for the distribution of drinking water, ninety percent of which comes from the Scituate Reservoir about ten miles (16 km) west of downtown, with contributions coming from four smaller bodies of water. Drinking water in Providence has been rated among the highest quality in the country.[139][140][141][142]

^Providence was listed as a town (not a city) by the US Census Bureau until the Census of 1840. This is because, in all the New England states, city status is conferred by the form of government not population. Providence retained the title of ninth-largest settlement until the Census of 1810.

^Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1981 to 2010.

^Official records for Providence kept at downtown from November 1904 to May 1932 and at T. F. Green Airport since June 1932.[37]

^"Other" is the largest nationality group. Italian is the largest nationality by descendancy for a specified country.